“I think this will show an immediate, and a long-term, benefit to what we’re spending on health care for our prisoners.”

Molendorp noted: “We’re paying for the health care of inmates who are suffering from respiratory illness, emphysema, lung cancer, asthma (and) COPD — all these things that are caused by smoking and, particularly, smoking in an enclosed place.

“So part of this is public health policy.”

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